Track Cleaner on Rubber Traction Tires?

Like many other hobbyists, I use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol as "track cleaning fluid" on the rails and also on the wheels of locos and rolling stock.  I've used it on traction tires with no ill effects -- at least, not yet. I noticed that the Q-Tips I used to clean a traction tire get "blacker" than those used on wheels of the same car.  I attributed the "extra blackness" to coloration from the black rubber traction tires; not necessarily from built-up gook.

Mike Mottler    LCCA 12394
mottlerm@gmail.com

At one time I also used Isopropyl Alcohol to clean my rails and wheels until I read Lionel's suggestion in their 2016-2017 Track and Power catalog.  I quote "We recommend using an all-purpose cleaner with a citric base.  We recommend a citric based cleaner because it does not degrade the metal rails nor does it cause poor electrical connectivity between the rails and the wheels of the train.  Alcohol based cleaners should be avoided since they tend to degrade the electrical connectivity of your trains".  The citrus cleaners also get stains off of cars without harming the plastic.  I avoid using any cleaners on traction tires because of possible harm to the rubber.

Lee Willis used a citric base cleaner, Simple Green.  It ate his Fastrack and totally destroyed it!  So, looking at the Simple Green FAQ, I find this.

Whether an aqueous-based product, chlorinated solvent, caustic or citrus type cleaner is used, the cleaned metal will begin to oxidize or rust.

I'll stick to solvents that I KNOW don't promote rust, thanks!  Perhaps Lionel is just trying to sell more track.

I use Goo-Gone to clean both track and wheels.  Nothing beats it for cleaning.  However, I only do maybe 3 or 4 foot sections at a time and IMMEDIATELY follow that up by wiping it down with denatured alchohol.  I have been doing this for at least 20 years and I"m still using the same track, unrusted.

I've read in several places that Goo-Gone is NOT good for traction tires.

- walt

I also use Goo Gone.  I have wiped it on and off with a rag, and I've used it in my old Centerline track cleaning car and let it clean all my track, and all my wheels at the same time.  That is the way to do it!  I wipe the track that I can reach dry but don't worry about the rest.  The Goo Gone will dry overnight.  

The electrical conductivity improvement between the track and the engines and cars is remarkable!  Everyone that uses it after I tell them about it comes back and thanks me over and over again.  The trains run smoother, passenger car lights are brighter, and old postwar trains can be run slower than ever before. 

The past president of Lionel highly recommends (personally and professionally) using Goo Gone.  He even posted about using it here on OGR.  After I first read his thread and decided to try it:  When I got out my Centerline track cleaning car that I bought in 1984 guess what their enclosed paperwork suggests using with it . . . Goo Gone.

Goo Gone is citric based.  There are a lot of "I heard" Goo Gone will hurt rubber traction tires.  But noone has ever posted that they personally know it does.  That is an internet myth.  It does not hurt rubber tires.  

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Lee Willis used a citric base cleaner, Simple Green.  It ate his Fastrack and totally destroyed it!  So, looking at the Simple Green FAQ, I find this.

Whether an aqueous-based product, chlorinated solvent, caustic or citrus type cleaner is used, the cleaned metal will begin to oxidize or rust.

I'll stick to solvents that I KNOW don't promote rust, thanks!  Perhaps Lionel is just trying to sell more track.

John,

I love all you do for the hobby.  You're a great guy.  But I have to correct you here.  Simple Green is not citrus based.  The "Simple Green Issue" on Fastrack is due to something completely different.  

Click on Citrus in their Faqs.  https://simplegreen.com/faqs/ 

rick s posted:

 

Goo Gone is citric based.  There are a lot of "I heard" Goo Gone will hurt rubber traction tires.  But noone has ever posted that they personally know it does.  That is an internet myth.  It does not hurt rubber tires.  

I maintain 2 huge Roger Farkash built layouts.  I use Goo Gone, but immediately follow it up with either a dry rag or 90% alcohol.  It is safe, and smells good.   (I've also been known to use naptha, but ONLY on a switched off display.)  Goo Gone will start to dissolve traction tires, leaving much of the tire on the curves.  

Which past president of Lionel gave it his blessing?  I'd like to see that source.

Mike Reagan recommends a chaser of WD-40 (again wipe the residue off!!!) I have one display that gets a little tarnish on the track -it looks clean but does not conduct well - that cocktail of Goo Gone followed by WD-40  and a dry rag fixes the problem.

BMT-Express posted:

rick s posted:

 

Goo Gone is citric based.  There are a lot of "I heard" Goo Gone will hurt rubber traction tires.  But noone has ever posted that they personally know it does.  That is an internet myth.  It does not hurt rubber tires.  

I maintain 2 huge Roger Farkash built layouts.  I use Goo Gone, but immediately follow it up with either a dry rag or 90% alcohol.  It is safe, and smells good.   (I've also been known to use naptha, but ONLY on a switched off display.)  Goo Gone will start to dissolve traction tires, leaving much of the tire on the curves.  

 

Which past president of Lionel gave it his blessing?  I'd like to see that source.

 

Mike Reagan recommends a chaser of WD-40 (again wipe the residue off!!!) I have one display that gets a little tarnish on the track -it looks clean but does not conduct well - that cocktail fixes the problem.

 

 

Hi BMT,

Here is the thread.  He is Mikado.  I believe all of his posts are on the first page.  I did what he suggested:  Which is WD-40 followed with Goo Gone, on all 3 of my Lionel tracks and cars, and both of my American Flyer S-Gauge trains and tracks.  Some of my friends have also done it.  The results are truly remarkable.  I did this about 10 months ago and haven't cleaned anything since.  

This thread gets into a discussion about Mike's statement about using alcohol.  Please don't focus on that.  Performing the steps that he recommends works.  And it works amazingly well.  

https://ogrforum.com/...ing-the-track?page=1

rick s posted:

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Lee Willis used a citric base cleaner, Simple Green.  It ate his Fastrack and totally destroyed it!  So, looking at the Simple Green FAQ, I find this.

Whether an aqueous-based product, chlorinated solvent, caustic or citrus type cleaner is used, the cleaned metal will begin to oxidize or rust.

I'll stick to solvents that I KNOW don't promote rust, thanks!  Perhaps Lionel is just trying to sell more track.

John,

I love all you do for the hobby.  You're a great guy.  But I have to correct you here.  Simple Green is not citrus based.  The "Simple Green Issue" on Fastrack is due to something completely different.  

Click on Citrus in their Faqs.  https://simplegreen.com/faqs/ 

You missed the basic point.  While I agree that Simple Green is not citric based, they included citric acid in the description of things that will promote rust, that was my point.  Since Goo Gone has citric acid, I can imagine that it might be a problem.  Since I know that 99% Isopropyl Alcohol will not promote rust, guess what I use.

I`ve being using model power # 14 track cleaner. I`ts non toxic, non flammable and does not smell. Does anyone know what it is made from , it does not mention it on the 4oz bottle

Thanks for the replies.  I have read the threads about what to use for track cleaner, and I decided to use dedicated track cleaner since I am treating my first adult train set like my first baby   .  For the traction tires, I think I will just dry wipe for now.

I haven't cleaned the track on my layout in the 10 years it's been up. Seems fine, and everything runs great.

I've only used 40 to 70 present rubbing achohl for the last. 20 years. Works fine for me. Just wipe it down every now and then with an industrial paper towel wet with achohol until you see no more dirt and your good to go. I've changed only one traction tire in the last 10 years of running a lot of different engines and that was due to a lashup problem. I have a friend that has a layout that he has never cleaned his track in 12 or more years and it runs great so who really knows 

My take - I had been using Goo-Gone on my Lionel Super-O layouts for years and never had a problem / copper center rail would shine like new penny / electrical contact and command signal etc was perfect 

Started reading negative reports on this forum so I decided to stop using GG and went to alcohol as a track cleaner - it’s OK but in my opinion just not as good - Sorry 

Going back to Goo-Gone

A citrus cleaner will have negative effects on a SYNTHETIC "rubber" material;  I don't know for sure if or how much "natural" rubber is in traction tires- but my guess is zero- they are likely ALL synthetic rubber for cost reasons.  So- any petroleum-based or citrus cleaner would have negative effects.   However, Goo Gone and other "citrus" cleaners actually have very little citrus oil in them by percentage- look at the label (or the MSDS), so that's why it seems they have little effect.

But the fellow who said the "black that comes off the traction tires seems blacker than off the other wheels" is seeing such deterioration.

An alcohol cleaning is probably safest- but flammable.  Ask me about the "fire in the tunnel" using denatured alcohol on a Centerline track cleaning car!!

The higher grades of alcohol (like denatured or 91%) have less or NO water in them, so less effect on steel wheels and track.  70% alcohol means about 30% water.